Sunday, 1 July 2012

The number of Britons arrested overseas has risen by six per cent in the past year, with drugs arrests increasing by two per cent, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Figures released today show that between April 2011 and March 2012, the FCO handled 6,015 arrest cases involving British nationals - up from 5,700 the previous year.

Anecdotal evidence from Embassies and Consulates overseas suggests many incidents are alcohol-fuelled, particularly in popular holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands, mainland Spain, Balearics, Malta and Cyprus.

Detained: The U.S. - along with Spain - is where most Britons are arrested

Spain and the USA continue to show the highest cases of arrests, with Spain showing a shocking nine per cent increase on last year.

Whilst Spain and the USA show the highest number of drug-related cases, drugs continue to be a significant problem in countries including Jamaica, Serbia, Peru and Brazil where over 70 per cent of total arrests were drug related.

In a bid to combat the upward trend, the FCO is encouraging Britons - particularly young holidaymakers about to go away for the summer - to consider the consequences of running into trouble with the law whilst overseas.

In the past year, around half of total arrest cases involved people under the age of 34.

Minister of State for Consular Affairs, Jeremy Browne, warned: 'It is important that people understand that taking risks abroad can land them on the wrong side of the law. The punishments can be very severe, with tougher prison conditions than in the UK. Whilst we will work hard to try and ensure the safety of British nationals abroad, we cannot interfere in another country’s legal system.

'We find that many people are shocked to discover that the FCO cannot get them out of jail. We always provide Consular support to British nationals in difficulty overseas.

'However, having a British passport does not make you immune to foreign laws and will not get you special treatment in prison.'

David Thomas, consular regional Director covering Spain, based in Madrid, added: 'The police on Mallorca and Ibiza have a zero tolerance attitude towards alcohol-fuelled offences and we see many young people being arrested for causing trouble outside bars and clubs at night.

'All too often they think they’ll spend the night in a cell sleeping off their hangover before being let out in the morning. They soon sober up when they realise their British passport does not grant them immunity and they’re alone in a foreign prison cell, unsure of when they’ll be released and unable to speak to officers because they don’t speak the language.'